[Event "2023 U.S. Girls' Junior Chess Championsh"] [Site "Saint Louis, United States"] [Date "2023.07.22"] [Round "7.2"] [White "Yip, Carissa"] [Black "Lee, Alice"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "2369"] [BlackElo "2393"] [Annotator "FM Alex King"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "C22"] [Opening "Center Game: Hall Variation"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/ZBuAQUT7/5whLqMOE"] [Orientation "white"] { Annotations by FM Alex King } 1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. Qxd4 Nc6 4. Qc4 { This sideline of the Center Game appeared in three games by USA players (including Yip herself) in the 2022 Women's Olympiad: no doubt home brew by the team and/or one of its coaches. } 4... Nf6 5. Nc3 Bb4 6. Bd2 O-O 7. O-O-O Re8 8. f3 a5 (8... a6 9. g4 b5 10. Qe2 Bb7 11. Qf2 Ne5 12. g5 { led to a strong win by Yip in Yip – Rovira Contreras, Chennai (6), 2022. }) 9. g4 d5 { A novelty, likely prepared by Lee. } (9... d6 { was previously played in Abrahamyan – Sarquis, Chennai (7), 2022. }) 10. exd5 Ne5 11. Qd4 c6 12. Bf4 Bxc3 13. Qxc3 Nxd5 14. Qd4 Nxg4 15. Ne2 Qf6 { In her own prepared line, Lee is the first to go astray. } (15... Qh4 { was preferable. }) 16. fxg4 Bxg4 17. Qxf6 Nxf6 18. Nc3 { But now it's unclear. } (18. Rd2 { was a better way to give up the exchange: } 18... Ne4 19. Ng3 Nxd2 20. Bxd2 $16 { and Black's remaining bishop is less annoying for White than Black's knight is in the game. }) 18... Bxd1 19. Nxd1 Ne4 20. Rg1 g6 21. Ne3 f6 22. a4 Kh8 23. Nc4 Nc5 24. Be3 Nxa4 25. Bd4 Kg7 26. b3 Rad8 27. Bf2? $19 { After this Black seizes control ... for a time. } (27. Ne3! { was the only move, relying on } 27... Rxd4 28. Nf5+!) 27... Nc3! 28. Nxa5 Ne2+ 29. Bxe2 Rxe2 30. Be1 Rde8 31. Bg3 Ra8 32. Re1 Rg2? $13 { Spoiling Black's advantage. } (32... Rxe1+! 33. Bxe1 Re8 $19 { It is typical that the side with an extra rook for two minor pieces wants to trade off an additional pair of rooks, in order to be left with the only major piece on the board. }) 33. Bc7? $19 { Fatally awkward. } (33. Re7+ $13 { was best. }) 33... g5 34. Kb2 f5? $13 (34... Kg6! $19 { was natural and correct. }) 35. Nxb7 Rf8? $18 { This even gives White a chance for a winning position. } (35... f4 $13 { would avoid trouble. }) 36. Re6? $13 { Yip misses her best chance of the game. } (36. Nd8! $18 { forks the c6-pawn and a fork on e6. Suddenly White seizes control. }) 36... f4 37. Be5+ Kf7 38. Rf6+ Kg8 39. Rxc6 Re8 40. Bd4 f3 41. Nd6 Rf8 42. b4 Rd2 43. Bc5 f2 44. Bxf2 Rdxf2 45. b5 Rxh2 46. b6 Rhf2 47. Ne4 R2f5 48. c4 g4 49. c5 Re5 50. Ng3? $19 { Given the tournament situation, Yip tries to keep winning chances alive, but ends up only "playing for the loss." } (50. Nf6+! { was necessary, although after } 50... Rxf6 51. Rxf6 Rxc5 { White would no longer have any chances to win. }) 50... Re3 51. Rd6 Rxg3 52. c6 { White's pawns look dangerous, but Lee keeps everything under control. } 52... Rf2+ 53. Kc1 Ra3 54. Rd2 Rc3+ 55. Kb2 Rxc6 56. Rxf2 Rxb6+ 57. Kc3 Kg7 58. Kd4 Rf6 59. Rg2 h5 60. Ke4 Kg6 { A true fighting game - kudos to Lee for coming out on top. } 0-1